1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to sights for archery bows and, more specifically, to bow sights having sight pin constructions that are pre-set for a particular bow so as to reduce the amount of adjustment necessary to sight in the bow sight to the bow.
2. Description of the Art
Archery bow sights utilizing a plurality of sight pins have been known in the art for many years. Typically, these sights use a bracket or other mounting structure for mounting the sight to a bow. The sight is commonly comprised of a pin plate, a pin guard, and a plurality of sight pins which are secured to the pin plate and extend into a sight window formed by the pin guard. The sight is mounted to a bow in a manner so that when the bow string is drawn, the archer can look through a peep sight provided in the bow string and align the tip of a pin attached to the sight with a target. For sights utilizing a plurality of sight pins having their tips vertically aligned, each individual sight pin is typically provided for aiming the bow at a target at a particular distance from the archer. For example, one pin may be positioned in the sight for aiming the bow at a target 50 yards from the archer while another pin may be positioned for a target that is at 70 yards distance.
An example of a bow sight known in the art is illustrated in FIG. 1 in which a bow sighting device 10 is connected to an archery bow 12. The sighting device 10 is comprised of a pin plate 14, a pin guard 16 and a sight window 18 formed therebetween. A plurality of sight pins 20 are secured to the pin plate 14 by attachment members 22, such as screws, which engage the sight pins 20 and extend through a slot 24 formed in the pin plate 14. The sight pins 20 extend transversely from the pin plate 14 into the sight window 18. The sighting device 10 is attached to a first bracket 28 by securement members 30. The first bracket 28 may be adjustably connected to a second bracket 32 by securement members 34, and the second bracket 32 may be adjustable secured to a third bracket 36 by screw members 38, which attach it to the bow 12.
In use, the archer typically aligns a peep sight positioned on or formed in the bowstring with one of the sight pins 20. In order to properly sight in the sight to the bow (i.e., properly adjust sight pin to a particular distance from the target), each of the sight pins 20 is individually positioned and adjusted to correspond to a given distance (e.g., 20 yards, 40 yards, 60 yards, etc.) from the bow 12. The sight pins 20 allow the archer to better position the aim of the arrow to compensate for target distance and trajectory. Thus, the archer must position him/herself a specific distance from the target (e.g., 20 yards) and shoot several arrows at the target while adjusting the 20 yard sight pin until the position of the 20 yard sight pin corresponds to arrows hitting the center of the target. The same procedure is repeated for each of the other sight pins (e.g., 30 yard pin, 40 yard pin, 50 yard pin, etc.). In most cases, upon repeated shooting, the sight pins can be fairly closely positioned relative to the bow sight at positions that provide acceptable targeting. As the distance from the target increases, however, it becomes increasingly more difficult to sight in the pins as the shooters ability to hold the bow steady during targeting becomes more important. That is, at close range, slight movement of the bow during a shot will have less effect on the arrows trajectory relative to the target than will similar movements at long range. Thus, while the error of the position of each sight pin may be approximately equal, such errors are not as detrimental at close range, but are exacerbated as the distance-to-target increases.
Some bow sights provide a single sight pin. Such single pin bow sights are provided for target practice where the distance from the target does not change. Single pin bow sights are also used in sights commonly referred to as pendulum sights that are used in conjunction with tree stands and the like where the hunter is positioned above the target and is aiming in a severely downward direction at the ground to animals below the hunter. In such a situation, the distance to target, while not fixed, is usually within a small range thus suited for a single pin sight arrangement.
Once a single pin sight is adjusted for a particular distance-to-target, the sight is not suited for being used at other ranges. It would be desirable, however, to provide a fixed pin arrangement that can also be used at other ranges without requiring adjustment or re-sighting of the sight pin to accommodate such other distances-to-target. In addition, it would be advantageous to provide a single sight pin structure having multiple sight points configured for attachment to conventional type bow sights.